Democratic Socialist Party (Dranland)
The Democratic Socialist Party is, and always has been, passionately committed to democracy, respect for human rights and civil liberties, peace across Terra, dismantlement of weapons of mass destruction, social justice and honouring the environment in which we live. Campaigning on these issues, it competes for seats in Dranland's Parliament and strives to work with other political parties in order to achieve common political objectives. History The Butterworth years The Democratic Socialist Party was founded in 3398 by George Butterworth in order to represent the neglected interests of the working-class and pursue a radical socialist political programme designed to fundamentally redistribute wealth and power in favour of the ordinary masses. Butterworth's colourful band of left-wingers first came to prominence at the General Election of 3401, where it won 13% of the vote. Butterworth himself made it to the second round of the Presidential election, where he won 45% of the vote, and went on to become the official Leader of the Opposition. However, the DSP's electoral fortunes declined following the 3401 breakthrough, and after the disaster of the 3409 election - when the party won only 6% of the vote - Butterworth's career as leader seemed finished. A bitter leadership contest followed in which Butterworth, 'Red Ted' Edward Montini and Digby Monmouth slugged it out. Montini accused Butterworth of consigning the DSP to perpetual irrelevance by refusing to consider a political alliance with the controversial Valdorian Blue Shirt Movement. Monmouth, on the other hand, argued for the DSP to moderate its socialist politics and appeal more to centrist, middle-class voters. Despite being expected to lose to Montini, Butterworth narrowly saw off his main opponent by 50.9%-49.1% after the Monmouth second preference votes were redistributed. A re-elected Butterworth restored vigour and morale to his party, but in the years that followed the DSP became increasingly seen as a party of perpetual opposition, always doing a fine job of criticising the conservative government of the day but never having any real prospect of winning power. Events took a sinister for turn for Dranland at the 3420 election, when the left-wing extremist Federación de Vanguardias Jalalistas rose to prominence for the first time, as did the populist nationalists of the Confederación Legitimista Dranianos. Ominous as well was the Presidential election victory of Tom Marshall, a Populist Party leader known for his controversial and only semi-legal private "Security Team". The FVJ and the CLD drew support away from the DSP, and for a time it seemed the DSP was doomed to be sidelined by these newer, more radical parties. However, both of the new parties quickly proved themselves unsuitable for democratic politics in Dranland, playing active and illegal roles in the armed conflicts which rocked Valdor Province and for a while held the nation on the brink of civil war. Fortunately, Parliament moved fast to outlaw the two troublesome political groups and government forces regained control of the situation. In the midst of all this chaos, a beleaguered George Butterworth finally stood down after serving for more than two decades as leader. The Maddocks Era Category:Political parties in Dankuk